Signal Fire
by sassyassmutha
Summary: A collection of Saya/Saeko drabbles in high school if the zombie apocalypse never occured. AU. May contain cheesiness or fluff in later chapters. Rated M for smut. Ranges from cute to serious with varying lengths! :D
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Finally I get to write my HOTD OTP! Sorry for the crackiness, but I just love these two together. Please enjoy my little moments for them and feel free to leave reviews! And if you're wondering, yes I consider Signal Fire by Snow Patrol to be my main Saya/Saeko song. I was listening to it as I wrote this so I thought I might as well call the collection that :D Thanks for reading!**

The first day of school had arrived, and an undesired storm of stress and late nights lay ahead for many. My usual frown graced my features as my soon to be classmates greeted each other freely, occasionally casting me wary glances. I huffed, getting used to the routine quickly. I was used to their attitudes and gossip by then. I didn't give a damn anymore if they were intimidated by me, hated me. It was probably good for them in the long run, it's not like I was looking for companionship. In the end things would only escalate to disappointment on their part. Besides, I had no interest discussing measly teenage topics just to appease my peers. What was the point anyway? Heh, mother always told me I was cold in that respect, as if she was any better at coming off as warm or friendly. Being rich and pretty doesn't go as far as many would think. I actually disagreed completely with her, especially then. I was the farthest from being heartless. Everyone around me was just too shallow or brainless to relate to me in any way, at a deep level anyhow. Therefore I'm labeled as the stand-offish rich girl that holds no qualms about others. The very name "Takagi" signed me up for ridicule the moment I was born. I was the perfect target for stereotyping, but not everything said about me was a lie, and I reluctantly accepted it. This fact, which I'd known for years, still didn't fail to light a fire under my skin. I was still unsure if it was from anger or embarrassment though. I deny the later often, after all I would hate for those people to see me hurt so easily.

_"I know right?"_

I tensed up. The squawking giggles of the girls penetrated my bubble as they breezed by, heightening my senses as I straightened up and turned my face away out of reflex. I could feel the fire in my face despite my elegance, it was a feeling that it seemed never left me. The feeling that I was always being laughed at for no other reason than being myself. What obnoxious paranoia. I exhaled slowly, attempting to even out my breathing as I began to push through the crowd to catch a glimpse of the class rosters. The sooner I did, the sooner I could leave. I did my best to block off my ears, I needed to get out of there before my stomach started to sink. I ran my manicured fingernail down the list until I located my name in black ink on the bulletin board. My lips tightened, teeth threatened to dig into the soft flesh. I smiled bitterly, even my name looked regal among all the others. I cursed myself as I felt a sharp pain, and I looked down to find that my nails had managed to draw blood from my un-calloused palm. I clapped my hands together as my brain quaked, turning myself sharply back into the crowd of people. I scampered uneasily as I looked for an exit from the jungle of students, a mouse in a herd of elephants. I whimpered when someone bumped into me, pushing me into the schools side wall, having no energy to start a fight with whoever did it. Thankful for an escape, I used it to guide me to the main entrance of the school, distancing myself from the stampede. I let myself slouch for once, clutching my chest as I attempted to regain the composure I had learned to maintain in debutant classes since I was small. Still leaning on my knees, I glanced up towards the parking lot where others were arriving. Their eyes wide, they hurried forward, guests late to a party. They were blurry, my pink locks obscuring my sight as strands continued to cloud over my now askew glasses. My eyes drooped, everything was just so hideously bland in the world. I could see the green of the grass and the pink of the flowers, but they were artificial to me at best. They felt tacky, dull. I looked down to my hands, the ones I used to spend my days painting whatever I wanted, whether it was in the art club or the solidarity of my room. Was there anything left worthy to paint? My scowl deepened. I had the sudden urge to curse at my parents, perhaps it was because of them that I had learned to view the world that way.

I stood up slowly, my breath finally even. I let out a growl, I was sure I looked less than presentable. Pushing the vibrant strands from my face, I took out a few ribbons to tie them into my signature pigtails. Regality be damned, it was too windy to leave my hair down. I tied each one carefully, making sure no extra hairs stick out as I flattened the top. I did each bow perfectly, tugging on them for good measure. Reaching up, I noticed my glasses were still placed in an awkward diagonal across my grimacing features. My lower lip jutted out, I looked around for a reflective surface to readjust them in.

An abrupt flash in the corner of my eye.

My breath caught, my glasses righting themselves from my harsh movements. I snapped around as if possessed, eyes instantly filled with a color so beautifully dark and calming that I only so willingly drank it in. Staring wide eyed, I was planted to the ground.

I watched her as she walked away, hips swaying calmly as her vibrant violet locks swung in time with her walking. She looked as if she could reach high and get her hands dirty while also winning a beauty pageant. However, she looked ready for the fiercest battle, her kendo sword accompanying her menacing presence well. I looked on until she rounded the corner, reaching up to rub my eyes.

And I thought to myself, maybe there was something left to paint after all.


	2. Chapter 2

"So?"

The voice was calm, carrying through the silence of the hallway like waves rolling to the shore. It sent tingles up her spine, and she couldn't help but lean into it, drunk on the sound already. It was how she expected it to be, strong, no stuttering to be heard. The girl who possessed it was firm and stood tall like the strong oaks she often sat under in the sunlight, kendo sword perched at her side as always.

Still, Saya could pick up the faintest hints of pleading, unexpected from Saeko Busujima. Maybe she was nervous, perhaps embarrassed. Struggling in a class to the point of needing a tutor was never something to be proud of. It was evidence to someone's extreme stupidity, and Saya didn't help stupid people. To assist the all brawn and no brain girl in front of her would be taking away her own free time. It was a ludicrous thought, one she never considered.

Saya looked up at the violet mane, noticing the sunlight shine through it. It was what Saya could picture an angel to look like, though she'd never imagined one before. Could the same effect be recreated on canvas? Continuing down from the hair, Saya's eyes traced the sharp contours of Saeko's face, noticing the flaws but unable to care. The skin looked smooth, but stretched in some places, as if the girl had spent many hours glaring or in deep thought.

Saya avoided her eyes, feeling their piercing gaze. Were they observing her too? Or was she just weirded out by the staring?

Saya felt a rush of heat to her cheeks, her impulsive confidence dwindling slightly. But still, she did not look away. Following the slope of Saeko's chin to her torso, Saya cursed the world for the restrictive clothing blocking her view. Another rush of heat soon followed.

Saya inhaled shakily, squinting at the ground. Her fists were clenched tightly to her side as she debated the pros and cons of what she was being asked. If she agreed to this, then she'd be spending a lot more time with Saeko. Time she could be painting or reading, her free time. Saeko would come to her house...her room. Saya had never had anyone from school in her room before, much less someone like Saeko. It's not like she had anything to hide, she was rich and of a high class after all. Her home was extravagant, her clothes were designer, and she was incredibly intelligent. She was perfect, more so than Ms. Failing Grade.

_So why?_

_Why was her stomach clenching?_

_Why did she want to leave? _

But at the same time Saya rooted herself to the spot, she wanted to hear that voice. She wanted to feel that pull. That's why she had to say no. Those feelings were absurd and illogical, two words that would never define her. She had never given them a _chance_ to define her. She grimaced and looked up, now face to face with the kendo champion.

"I'm sorry Ms. Bus-!"

But those eyes. Those deep beryl traps pulled her in. They had her, and she didn't even struggle to tear away. The grip was firm, and just so natural. Everything seemed to pass by as Saya was rooted to the earth, but it was all dull compared to the sea she was floating in. Her shoulders drooped, and her fingers uncurled.

_Was this what happiness felt like? The peace…_

Saya found herself unable to speak momentarily, but oh how she wanted to shout. She was bubbling over with an unidentified emotion, and it annoyed her that she could not understand it. Saya blinked, catching a glint in the other's eyes. It was subtle, but it screamed at her. Nothing mattered but Saeko, and for once Saya felt focused on. She was being seen, completely seen. Was Saeko surprised as well? Surprised at what exactly? That…that feeling maybe? She didn't even know. But she did know her answer to the predicament. She bit her lower lip before finding a faint whisper of her voice. It was all she had, and it was cowardly and childish. But she had to use it, or else…

"My house…tomorrow night."

Saya didn't know what compelled her to agree, but she knew that turning away from…that person, whoever she was to her, would've been reprehensible.

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been updating but school has been busy lately. I do want to keep these drabbles going though. If you guys have any prompts you want to see with these two, feel free to tell me ^^ Please review, I love hearing feedback, and boy do I need it. Thanks for reading! Fic inspired by Signal Fire by Snow Patrol (listen while you read!) ;)**


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